Robot Wars Technical Manual
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| Robot Wars Technical Manual | |
|---|---|
 Front Cover | |
| Production Information | |
| Author | Alan Baker |
| Publisher | Boxtree |
| Release Date | February 19, 1999 |
| Book Information | |
| Series | 2 |
| Pages | 144 |
| ISBN | ISBN 075221361X |
- "Vicious fighting machines pit their strength and skill in a battle to the death.
Only the strongest will survive." - — Back cover
The Robot Wars Technical Manual was a book published during the run of The Second Wars on February 19, 1999 and serves as a compresive guide to that series including plenty of behind-the-scenes information on the show. There are also sections with advice on building your own robot and how to enter the competition Robot Wars itself.
Throught the book numerous facts and figures are given as well as numerous full colour photographs.
Contents |
Sections
Edit
What is Robot Wars?Edit
Includes an introduction on what Robot Wars is and how it came to be from how it started out in the United States, going through the production of The First Wars and the start of The Second Wars. It then goes into detail about each of the three segments that made up the show at the time (The Gauntlet, The Trial and The Arena). Finally it lists the crewmembers that were involved in making the show, even giving Jeremy Clarkson a brief mention.
Behind the ScenesEdit
This section thoroughly goes through all the aspects that went into the production of Robot Wars. It goes through how the Arena was designed and built as well as how it was lit up. It then goes on to how the show was written followed by some information the Judges and how the audience participated in the proceedings. A graphics section goes into how the series' graphics were creating including the famous intro sequence as well as the robot specifications. The last part offers some info on the commentator Jonathan Pearce as well as presenters Craig Charles and Philippa Forrester.
The House RobotsEdit
This section includes detailed information and statistics on each of the House Robots that were present as of Series 2 including the then brand new Sir Killalot. All the individual house robots are given fictonal backstories each of which is followed by a so-called counter-claim by the BBC Visual Effects department which of course is the actual real life behind-the-scenes information.
Below are brief summaries of each of these so-called biographies:
- Shunt was supposedly originaly built as a remote-controlled drone for use in nuclear reactors. While working on one such reactor somewhere in the former Soviet Union 5 years previous an accient took place and while it was brought under control it somehow mutated him into the now-familiar fighting machine.
- Matilda was apparently found in a deep underwater cave off the east coast of the United States. It is speculated that she was potentialy the relic of some lost ancient civilization, possibly the lost city of Atlantis.
- Dead Metal seemingly came from the future in the year 16,000 AD from the totalitarian Berserker Empire, named after a race of cyberneticaly enhanced Humans and held half the galaxy. Robots like Dead Metal were used as the front-line invasion force of the target planets destroying all resistance they encountered.
- Sergeant Bash's military-themed design is played up on. He was supposedly part of a consipracy theory involving the secret US military base Area 51. Beginning in the 1960s animals were found mutilated and burnt without explanation. A journalist managed to record a video of the machine in 1990 but was promptly visited by 3 men claiming to be from the military and confiscated said video. The possibility is hinted that there might be more than one Sergeant Bash type unit lurking the southwestern United States.
- Sir Killalot like Dead Metal traveled through time. In its universe Atlantis was never destroyed around 10,000 BC and the First World War began in 1150 AD. The robot claimed to be an autonomus fighting unit used in battles between Atlantis and its adversary Lemuria. He also is hinted to have an interest in Matilda.
The capabilities of the House Robots are also somewhat exaggerated compared to what they could do in real life. Dead Metal for example is claimed to be powered by a thermonuclear power unit and Sir Killalot's lance also supposedly works as a flamethrower.
The Sentinel does not get a profile of its own, earning only a brief mention and a single photograph. It is not even considered to be a House Robot being only refered to as an obstacle.
Building Your Own RobotEdit
This chapter works as a detailed guide on how to build your own robot, giving plenty of information on the various components that go into a robot, obtaining the required materials and the various weight categories and rules that all competitor robots had to adhear to. Finally stories of what some of the other competitor robots went through in the series are given.
Throughout this chapter there are pages containing profiles of each of the robots that competed in The Second Wars.
Robot Wars on the InternetEdit
Gives a quick rundown of what was available on the official Robot Wars website at the time.
The Robot Wars ClubEdit
Offers advice on how to join the Robot Wars Club, lists what you recieve for joining and after that how to enter the competition itself.
How To Make A Video DiaryEdit
Goes through the steps in producing a video diary documenting your robot potentialy for use on the show itself.
IndexEdit
This final section lists all the terms technical or otherwise that were used throughout the book.
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